This invention relates to handles, and in particular to handles for mops, brooms and other items which are formed of multiple interconnectable segments.
Mops, brooms, paint roller handles, dusters, and similar devices, often have long handles so that a person can stand upright while reaching the floor with the device, and such that a person will not need a ladder to apply the device on a ceiling or high along a wall. The length of the handle typically requires such products to be shipped in specially sized packages, and stored and displayed for sale in a manner that takes up a relatively large amount of space.
Also, when a consumer purchases such a highly elongated device, the device may not fit easily into a standard grocery cart, and may be difficult to fit into a trunk of certain compact cars. Consumers may therefore need to hand carry the device to the store checkout, and then to a vehicle. Also, consumers may need to transport the device in the passenger compartment of the car, with the result that needed passenger space is taken up.
Collapsible handles have been devised to minimize or avoid these problems. For example, telescoping handles, with multiple concentric cylindrical sections, have been developed (particularly for use when painting, and often for use in devices such as golf ball retrievers). Alternatively, some handle designs have folded sections which are hinged together. See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,727.
Such constructions typically have rather unstable joints that can loosen (and possibly separate), particularly when rotational force is applied to the handle. These constructions also often tend to flex more at the joints when stressed such that the handle feels segmented.
Attempts have been made to overcome these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,573 discloses the use of a bayonet connection for joining sections of a handle. Each section has male and female ends that mate with the ends of adjacent sections. The male ends have an L-shaped groove and a spring element spaced apart along the circumference of the male end.
The female end defines a cylindrical opening with a transverse protrusion that rides in the L-shaped groove as the male is inserted and twisted into the opening. The protrusion is held tightly in the groove by virtue of the groove having a decreasing depth. The female also has a hole in which the spring element of the male end snaps to lock the adjacent sections together. Although the disclosed structure provides a rigid connection, it is rather complex to manufacture in that it requires the spring element.
Similarly, the ends of vacuum cleaner extension wands are often provided with interlockable connectors. Typically the wand segments are telescopically slid into each other, with a spring loaded spherical tab on one male portion of a wand snapping outward into a radial hole in a female segment to temporarily connect the parts together. A lower end of the lowest wand is linked to a floor treatment device (e.g. a brush), and the upper end of the highest wand is linked to a hose that sometimes has a grip area. However, this type of connection system is somewhat expensive to manufacture, and in any event is designed to be a non-permanent connection.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for an improved multi-component handle, particularly one that can be shipped, stored, and sold in multiple segments, and then easily and essentially permanently assembled by a consumer.